Machine for processing food products



June 17, 194L H. GRIFFIN ETAI:

MACHINE FOR PROCESSING FOOD PRODUCTS Original Filed Dec. 2, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS June 17, H L. GRIFFIN ETAL MACHINE FOR PROCESSING FOOD PRODUCTS Original Filed Dec. 2, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS y/exana A TTORNEYS Jun 17, 1941. GRIFFIN EI-AL 2,245,775

MACHINE FOR PROCESSING FOOD PRODUCTS Original Filed Dec. 2, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TORS A TTORNEYS Patented June 17, 1941 MACHINE FOR PROCESSING FOOD PRODUCTS Harry L. Griffin, Rockville Centre, and Alexander R. Robb, Valley Stream, N. Y., and Rolla W. Titus and Hans T. Gebhardt, Marysville, Ohio, assignors to Nestles Milk Products, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application December 2, 1939, Serial No. 307,244. Divided and this application April 11, 1940, Serial No. 329,078

7 Claims.

Our invention relates to a new and improved machine for processing food products.

One of the objects of our invention is to provide an improved machine for treating canned milk, and more particularly to sterilize canned milk.

Another object of our invention is to provide a casing in which angular tracks are rotatably mounted, in order to receive the cans, and said tracks are held in a predetermined position, after the rotation of said tracks is stopped.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partially in section, showing the inlet valve of the casing of the apparatus. 'Fig. 1 shows said valve in the open position.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation, partially in section, taken at the left-hand side of Fig, 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail top plan view of the closure flap of the valve of Fig. 1, including the hinge for said flap.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View, partially in elevation, on the line -20 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a casing, the tracks located in the casing, and certain other parts.

Fig, 6 is another sectional View, similar to Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view, showing the gear means for rotating the tracks.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view showing the mechanism for rotating the tracks.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 99 of Fig. 8.

The cans are transferred from inlet tracks to the casing 3a through an inlet-valve which is shown in Fig. 1 in the open position.

The inlet-valve shown in Fig. 1 has a valvecasing 15, part of which is located in a head l6, which abuts an annular flange of the associated casing. Fig. 1 shows the inlet valve of the easing 3a.

The valve includes a valve-flap I! which is pivotally mounted at l8 to a hinge-member 19 which is rigidly secured to the casing I5. The valve-flap I! is pivotally connected by transverse pivot-rod 20, which is also shown in Fig. 3, to links 2| which are pivotally connected to rockarms 22 which are keyed to a rock shaft 23. Additional links 24 are pivotally connected at 25 to arms 26 which are pivotally connected at 21 to the casing I5. The links 2| and 24 are freely turnable relative to pivot-rod 20.

The arms 26 are rigidly connected to a transverse angular member 28 which supports supplemental track-sections 29 of the tracks 3. The track-sections 29 bridge the gap between'the tracks 3 and the rails T of its associated casing 3a, when the valve-flap I1 is in the open position shown in Fig. 1. When the valve-flap I1 is in the closed position, the track-sections 29 are depressed from the position shown in Fig. 1. The closed position of the valve I! is indicated by the line Ila in Fig. 1. It is therefore necessary to lower the track-sections 29 in order to allow the valve-flap i! to move to the closed position. The valve-seat of the valve-casing I5 is provided with the usual gasket 30, for providing a steam-tight and air-tight closure when valve-flap l1 abuts said gasket. The respective valve-mechanisms are of identical construction and they are opened and closed in proper timed relation by a single control unit. The underside of the valve-flap I1 is provided with lugs Ilb which act as a guide for the tops of the cans when they move off the tracks 3, over track-sections 29, to the rails T of the associated casing 3a.

When the valve-flap I! of the respective casing is opened, a predetermined number of cans roll by gravity from rails 3 to the rails T of the casing 3a.

The common longitudinal axis of the casing 30. and of its rails T is downwardly inclined so'that the cans C fill the rails T of the respective casing under the force of gravity.

The casing 30. is maintained stationary, but the downwardly inclined rails T of casing 3a are turned relative to the downwardly inclined axis of the respective casing.

Said inlet valve is provided with a pair of closure members 3| which close the inlet ends of the tracks of the casing 3a, when the valvefiap IT is closed. Each closure member 3| is connected by means of a ball-and-socket joint 32, to

a link 33 which is pivotally connected at 34 to the rock arm 22. Hence, when the respective members 3| are in the operative or closing position, they are aligned with rails T and they can turn in unison with the rails T relative to the longitudinal axis of the-casing 30., by means of the universal ball-and-socket joint 32.

Fig. 4. shows th four angular tracks or rails T of the casing 3a.

As shown in Fig. 1, each closure member 3| is pivotally connected by pins 32a to a ring 33a. Each of the brackets 34a. is connected to a pair of rails T and each of these brackets 34a is connected by a pivot 35 to the ring 33a. The ring 330. can turn relative to the brackets 34a, by means of the pivots 35, about an axis which is defined by the line 36-36 in Fig. 4. Each closure member 31 can turn relative to the respective ring 33a,

about the pivots 32a, around an axis which is perpendicular to the axis defined by said line 36--36. Therefore, when the rails T turn in unison with the associated brackets 34a and the associated ring 33a, around the longitudinal axis of the respective casing, there is a relative free motion between the ring 330. and said associated rails T, so that if a closure member 3| is not in the predetermined position when the associated rails T are rotated, there is no tendency to open the valve-flap II. This makes it unnecessary to have the links 33 of precisely the correct length. The rails T are connected by any suitable lateral truss members in order to provide a strong and rigid assembly.

As shown in Fig. 4, the rails T are of angular cross-section. Two of said rails T of each set have cross-sectional angles of 90 and the other two rails of each set have cross-sectional obtuse angles. This provides allowance for a defective orbulging can without allowing any substantial relative lateral movement between the cans and the rails, when the rails in a casing are rotated about their common longitudinal axis. If one or, more of the rails T did not have said obtuse angles it. would be necessary to provide a loose fit betweenthe can and therails, in order to make allowance for bulged cans. During the period of agitation, this loose fit would permit some free lateral movement between perfect cans and. the rails, whereby the cans would slap in. the rails, thus producing considerable foam in. the milk. This foam is highly objectionable because it hinders proper heat transfer and the presence of foam would produce various objectionable characteristics in the processed milk.

Fig. 5, shows a ring or collar 3'1, which, is held spaced from the inner wall of the associa-tedcasing, by a series of anti-friction rolls 30. The tracks T are connected to a series of such collars 31, so that said collars 31 are rotated in uni-son with tracks T. Each anti-friction roll 39 is turnably connected to a head 40. There is a slight clearance between collars 3'! and rolls 39. Referring to Fig. 1, when the valve-flaps I? are opened, arms 26 strike tracks T so as to jar sai'dtracks. If any cans remain in a casing, this jar will cause the cans to roll out of the open outlet end of the casing. The casing a is provided. wtih radial projections 4I, whose inner walls have shoulders. Said inner walls are threaded at 42. The inner end of each head 40 abuts. the shoulder of the inner wall of the respective projection 4|. A threaded plug 42a holds each head 40 in position. Each projection 4.I- is provided with a cap 43 Fig. 7 shows a ring gear 38 which is connected to a pair of said collars3l. The collars 31 which are located adjacent the ring gear 38, are provided with longitudinal arms 31a which are connected. to: thrust collars 44. Rolls 45 are suitably turnably connected to the inner wall of the casing 3a and these rolls 45 abut the respective opposed faces of the-thrust-collars 44, soas to prevent any longitudinal movement of the rails T, relative to the casing 3a. .The collars (H are suitably fixed to the ring gears 38.

Fig. 8. shows .four casings 2a5awhich are arranged. inpairs, each pair having a common closedheader 45. These casings and their tracks and. their inlet valves. are identical. The gears 38 are arranged in pairs and each pair of gears 36.meshes withadrivegear 41, which is located in. said header. The drive shaft 48 has bevel gears. 49 which mesh with corresponding bevel gears on the shafts of the drive gears 41. The drive shaft 48 also has a bevel gear 50 which meshes with the bevel gear 5I of a shaft 52. The tracks of the respective casings are turned a single revolution for each revolution of shaft 52, so that the soldered tops of the respective cans are in the desired relation for proper packs ing, after the cans are discharged from the casings, which is intermittently actuated by a suitable motor. The shaft 52 has a drive sprocket 53.

As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the shaft 52 passes through spaced discs I05, which are keyed to said shaft. Said discs I05 have hubs I09, which provided a bearing for an intermediate disc I06, which can turn freely relative to the discs I05 and the shaft 52. A pin I0'I passes through the disc I06, and said pin I01 clears the discs I05. Each of the discs I05 is provided with a laterally projecting pin I08. Tension springs IIO connect the pin I0I to the respective pins I08. Stop members; I II are rigidly connected to each of the discs 105. The tension springs H0 normally maintain the recessed ends of said stop members HI in contact with the pin I0! of the disc I06, as shown in full lines in Fig. 9. The shaft 52 is turned in the direction of the arrow of Fig. 9, together with the discs I05. A slide rod H2 is mounted in bearings II4. -A tension spring H5 is connected to one of the bearings H4 and also to a pin II6 which is connected to the slide rod H2, so that said slide rod II2 normally clears the recess which is provided in the disc I06.

As shown in Fig. 8, a governor which has balls I23, is operated by gear means I24 and I25 from the shaft 52. When the speed of the governor falls below a predetemined speed, and the pivoted arms on which the; balls I23 are mounted move towards each other until they make a predetermined angle, said arms actuate a plunger I26, which closes a switch I21. This switch controls the circuit of a solenoid IIla, which is located in casing H1. The control of said solenoid is later described herein. When this solenoid is thus energized, its plunger H3 is moved downwardly, thus turning the arm H9 and the shaft I20. An arm I2I of the shaft I20 has a forked end which embraces the pin I22 of the rod II2. Therefore, when the solenoid in casing III is energized, the rod H2 is moved into the recess of the disc I06, thus stopping the turning movement of said disc. When disc I06 is stationary and when its recess is engaged by rod II2, the tracks of each casing are arranged in superposed pairs, as shown in Fig. 5, for example, so that each track then has a leg whose cross-section is in a horizontal plane.

The momentum of the motor 54- which actuates shaft 52, and the momentum of said shaft 52 and of the associated parts, causes the same to turn at diminishing speed, when actuation of the-motor which actuates shaft 52 is discontinued, untilthe governor operates the plunger I26, to close the circuit of the solenoid in casing Ill. The rod I I2 is then moved to stop the rotation of the disc I06 and the springs IIIlpermit the further limited turning movement of the shaft 52, without any severe shock upon the mechanism. When the shaft 52 is stationary, the springs IIO move the stops II I" back to-the normal full-line position shown in Fig. 9, in which the recessed ends of said stops I-I-l abut the pin I01. The bearing-s I I4 may have resilient bottom supports.

This; applicationis a division of our application Serial No. 307,244, filed on December 2, 1939.

We claim:

1. In a machine for processing a food product, the sub-combination of a casing, main tracks located within said casing, auxiliary track-means mounted and adapted to guide objects towards said main tracks, said auxiliary track-means being spaced from said main tracks so that there is a gap between said main tracks and said auxiliary track-means, a bridge-member located in said casing and movable to a position in which it will bridge said gap and being also movable away from said position, said casing having a movable inlet valve, means adapted to move said bridge-member into said gap when the valve is opened and adapted to move said bridge-member away from said gap when the valve is closed.

2. In a machine for processing a food product, the sub-combination of a casing, main tracks located within said casing, auxiliary track-means mounted and adapted to guide objects towards said main tracks, said auxiliary track-means being spaced from said main tracks so that there is a gap between said main tracks and said auxiliary track-means, a bridge-member located in said casing and movable to a position in which it will bridge said gap and being also movable away from said position, said casing having a movable inlet valve, means adapted to move said bridge-member into said gap when the valve is opened and adapted to move said bridgemember away from said gap when the valve is closed, impact-means movable in unison with said bridge-member and adapted to strike said main tracks when the inlet valve is moved to the open position.

3. In a machine for processing a food product, the sub-combination of a casing, main tracks located Within said casing, auxiliary track-means mounted and adapted to guide objects toward said. main tracks, said auxiliary track-means being spaced from said.- main tracks so that there is a gap between said main tracks and said auxiliary track-means, an inlet valve for said casing, means adapted to pivotally connect said inlet valve to the casing, said inlet valve being movable to a closed position and also being movable to an open position, a bridge-member pivotally connected to said casing and movable to a position in which it will bridge said gap and being also movable away from said position, means connecting said inlet valve and said bridge-member and adapted to move said bridgemember to the position in which it bridges said gap when the inlet valve is moved to the open position.

4. In a machine for processing a food product, the sub-combination of a casing, main tracks located within said casing, auxiliary track-means mounted and adapted to guide objects toward said main tracks, said auxiliary track-means being spaced from said main tracks, so that there is a gap between said main tracks and said auxiliary track-means, an inlet valve for said casing, means adapted to pivotally connect said inlet valve to the casing, said inlet valve being movable to a closed position and also being movable to an open position, a bridge-member pivotally connected to said casing and movable to a position in which it will bridge said gap and being also movable away from said position, means connecting said inlet valve and said bridgemember and adapted to move said bridge-meme her to the position in which it bridges said gap when the inlet valve is moved to the open position, impact-means movable in unison with the bridge-member and adapted to strike the main tracks when the bridge-member is moved to the position in which it bridges said gap.

5. In a machine for processing a food product, the sub-combination of a casing, main tracks located within said casing, means adapted to mount said main tracks relative to said casing so that said main tracks can be rotated relative to the casing, said casing having an inlet valve which is pivotally connected to said casing, a rock shaft connected to said inlet valve by first link-means, a stop-member pivotally connected to'the main tracks at the inlet end of said main tracks, said stop-member being also pivotally connected to said rock shaft by second linkmeans, the second link-means being adapted to move the stop-member to its operative position when the inlet valve is closed and to move said stop-member to its inoperative position when the inlet valve is opened, said stop-member being connected to the second link-means by a universal ball-and-socket joint.

6. In a machine for processing a food product, the sub-combination of a casing, main tracks located within said casing, means adapted to mount said main tracks relative to said casin so that said main tracks can be rotated relative to the casing about the longitudinal axis of the casing, a stop located at the inlet end of said main tracks, a stop-support connected to said tracks so that said stop-support can be rotated in unison with said tracks, said stop-support being turnable relative to said tracks about a first predetermined axis, said stop being pivotally connected to the stop-support so that the stop can be turned relative to the stop-support about a second predetermined axis which is perpendicular to the first predetermined axis, an inlet valve pivotally connected to said casing, a rock-shaft connected to said inlet valve by first link-means, second link-means pivotally connecting said rock shaft to said stop, the connection between said second link-means and said stop being a universal ball-and-socket joint.

7. In a machine for processing a food product, the sub-combination of a casing, main tracks located within said casing and rotatable relative to a common axis, a first disc operatively connected to said tracks and turnable only in unison with said main tracks, a second disc having a locking-recess and mounted so that said second disc can turn in unison with the first disc about a common axis, a spring connected to said first disc and second disc and adapted to turn the second disc relative to the first disc, stop-means adapted to limit the turning movement of the second disc relative to the first disc which is produced by said spring, a. movable lockingmember, means adapted to move said lockingmember into said locking-recess and out of said locking-recess, the spring being located so that it is extended when the locking-member enters said locking-recess and when the first disc then turns relative to the second disc.

HARRY L. GRIFFIJN. ALEXANDER R. ROBB. ROLLA W. TI'ITUS. HANS T. GEBHARDT, 

